Palestinian Authority’s antisemitic description of Jewish prayers at the Cave of the Patriarchs: Jewish “settlers storm and defile” Ibrahimi Mosque

The Palestinian Authority continues its antisemitic libels and long-standing campaign to deny the Jewish historical and religious connection to the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron—which it refers to exclusively as the "Ibrahimi Mosque."

By claiming that Jews "defile" the site and "desecrate its sanctity" merely by entering and praying there, the PA promotes the classic antisemitic trope that the very presence of Jews makes a holy place impure, framing peaceful Jewish worship as an aggressive and illegitimate violation of Islamic sanctity:

Official PA TV reporter: "The holy Ibrahimi compound (i.e., the Cave of the Patriarchs) is witnessing another chapter of violations, as its doors are opened to [Jewish] settlers who storm it, defile its courtyards, and hold their celebrations inside... The settlers do whatever they please as if they own the land and its sites, while the [Palestinian] citizen remains a thorn in the throat of those [Jews] who settled on this land and desecrated its sanctity."

[Official PA TV News, Nov. 7, 2026]

For decades, Palestinian Media Watch has exposed hundreds of similar statements by top PA officials about the Cave of the Patriarchs, the Temple Mount and the Western Wall of the Temple, and other Jewish holy sites. Another example of these is when former PA Minister of Religious Affairs Hatem Al-Bakri taught that Jews are "criminal infidels" who "defile" Muslim holy sites:

PA Minister of Religious Affairs Hatem Al-Bakri: "Allah, purify the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Ibrahimi Mosque (i.e., Cave of the Patriarchs) from the defilement of the criminal infidels, O Master of the Universe."

[Official PA TV, Sept. 15, 2023]

By framing peaceful Jewish prayer at Judaism's holiest sites as an act of "defilement," the PA uses antisemitic tropes not only to erase thousands of years of Jewish history but also to incite religious hatred and violence. Repeatedly teaching its population that Jewish worship is an impurity and a provocation legitimizes attacks against Israelis as a religious duty to "defend" holy places.